Blindness
by 200meters
Summary: When Drizzt discovers an elven settlement being attacked by drow, he rushes in and rescues an elven girl. The story continues as he travels with her.
1. Chapter 1

The wind howled through the trees, flickering the flame of the small campfire that burned beneath the branches. A single figure sat huddled near the fire, trying to absorb as much of its heat as possible. As the fire began to die, the figure stood, and walked into the trees. While the figure stooped to pick up a branch from the ground, the wind blew back the cowl of his cloak. White hair lifted in the wind and blew wildly. Dark-skinned hands carried the branch back to the campfire, and fed it to the flames.

When the fire calmed, Drizzt sat back, leaning against the trunk of the tree behind him. Tonight was one of his windiest nights on the surface yet. In the caverns of the Underdark, no winds blew chilled air, and no fires were needed to protect from the cold. There was no cold.

As Drizzt leaned his head against the tree, he mused over the strange wind. Sometimes it sounded almost like screaming. Drizzt's sensitive ears pricked up. That wind didn't just sound like screaming, it _was_ screaming. The dark elf leapt to his feet, and kicked dirt onto his fire, so it wouldn't interfere with his night vision. Drizzt began to climb the tree he had been sitting against. When he reached the top, standing on branches barely thick enough to support his weight, Drizzt could see over the forest. Not too far away were flames, leaping out of a clearing. Cursing, Drizzt jumped to the ground. He recognized the clearing even from this distance; it held a small elven settlement that he had passed by earlier that day. Without pausing, the dark elf began sprinting through the tangled trees, headed for the fire. The screaming continued as he ran, and it only encouraged him to run faster. When he reached the fiery clearing, he paused, and tried to make out the figures rushing back and forth, through and around the flames.

Some of the figures seemed to be elves. They were the ones who were screaming. Behind them came silent figures. Drizzt cursed again, quietly. Drow. They were attacking this settlement of elves, slaughtering them all. Checking his first impulse, which had been to rush directly in, Drizzt thought quickly. Wrapping his cloak around him, Drizzt ran around the edge of the clearing, then stopped short. Ahead he saw an elven girl being chased by a drow warrior. Drizzt darted out into the clearing, and jumped in front of the pursuer. "She is mine!" he growled, in the language of the drow. The words sounded strange to him after his time on the surface. As he spoke, Drizzt drew his scimitars and lunged at the other drow. Although he was startled by the outburst, the other dark elf didn't show it, merely laughed, and said, "Don't worry, _abbil_. There's enough for everyone!" The drow's next laugh was cut short by Drizzt's scimitar, opening his throat.

Drizzt turned away from the falling corpse, only to see the little elven girl stop, a drow priestess before her. Drizzt ran forward, but it was too late. The priestess shouted a spell, and the girl was knocked backward by its force. Leaping over her still body, Drizzt stood in front of the priestess, his lavender eyes blazing. "She was mine!" he snarled, stepping forward. "You were too slow," said the priestess with a laugh. Drizzt laughed too. "You are right," he said. "There are plenty of others to kill here." The priestess' nod of agreement was halted by the press of Drizzt's blade beneath her chin. "Others like you!" he shouted, and snapped her head around with a kick, then stabbed her through the heart. Drizzt looked up from the corpse to see other drow warriors approaching. He casually wiped his blade on the priestess' cloak before turning to face them. Before they could question him, he said, "She stole my kill." He motioned to the figure of the elven child on the ground. "She was a priestess of Lloth!" said a warrior angrily. He glared at Drizzt for a few moments, until his attention was commanded by the arrival of another priestess, as was evident from her elaborate robes. The new priestess glanced casually down at her dead colleague. "She was killed by an elven witch. We will say no more." She motioned imperiously at the warriors, including Drizzt. "Come. We will leave this foul surface world and return to Ched Nasad." She began to stalk away. Her warriors fell into line behind her, as did Drizzt, who didn't want to be noticed as he slipped away. He followed their line until they reached a cave which he knew would lead back to the Underdark, and then quietly slipped away, as the other drow entered one by one.

Filled with grief for the events that had just occurred, Drizzt slowly made his way back to the elven village. As he walked, he contemplated what had befallen. He knew that he had been lucky to escape the wrath of the second priestess, and knew he had only done so because the first priestesses' death happened to suit the second's aspirations. Finally, as dawn broke over the forest, Drizzt arrived back at the clearing, which now only held corpses, and the ashes of the past.

_abbil_-friend


	2. Chapter 2

AN: This story takes place soon after Mooshie's death. I'm pretending that there was time for all this to occur before Drizzt was being hunted by the bounty hunter, and all that.

When Drizzt reached the edge of the clearing, he slowly walked in. Although he tried, he could not tear his eyes away from the terrible carnage they saw. It appeared that no elves had been left alive. Drizzt's evil kin had hurt him again, this time even more, because they had hurt others, and Drizzt could do nothing to prevent it.

Drizzt made his way to where the elven girl had fallen after being hit by the priestess' spell. When he saw her crumpled body, he knelt down beside her and cried. As he cried, he picked up her small body and held her to his chest. She looked to be only about six or seven years old. Drizzt contemplated her unfair death by his murdering kin. He hugged her close, and as he did, Drizzt felt her faint heartbeat. She was still alive. The priestess' spell had just knocked her out. Inwardly rejoicing, Drizzt stood, cradling her small body in his arms. He began to run.

Drizzt carried the elven girl back to his camp in the woods. He took off his cloak, and folded it into a pillow for her head, the laid her down. Drizzt sat and watched over the girl's unconscious body for the entire day, as the sun rose and began to set again. The entire time he watched her, he thought about the injustice of her situation. No matter how many times his rationale told him that it wasn't his fault, Drizzt couldn't help but feel guilty for the deeds of the other drow. Because of them, this girl's entire family, her entire village, had been slaughtered. She was the only one left. Drizzt didn't even know if she would ever wake up. The spell that hit her might have caused a slow death, instead of a fast one. These thoughts filled Drizzt's head as he watched the motionless girl, through the day and night and as the dawn broke the next morning.

After the long night he had spent watching the girl, Drizzt couldn't help but doze through the next day. His Reverie was interrupted by a sound from the elven child. Drizzt sat bold upright, and then crawled over to her still figure. She was mumbling words under her breath, but Drizzt couldn't understand her. Figuring that she must be thirsty after being asleep for so long, Drizzt reached for his canteen, and opened it. He let a few drops fall into the child's open mouth, and then poured a stream, when she swallowed and opened her mouth for more. The girl drank the water, her eyes still closed, and then seemed to fall asleep again, settled comfortably in Drizzt's arms. Happy at her recovery, Drizzt allowed himself to relax and sleep.

When Drizzt woke later that day, the noon sun seemed to pierce his light-sensitive eyes. Shaking his head, and shielding his eyes with a hand, Drizzt looked around. Suddenly he sprang to his feet. The girl was gone. Drizzt thought of yelling for her, but then realized that she would not answer him, and that he did not even know her name. The dark elf searched for her footprints and found them leading to the edge of the camp. He followed them and, rounding a tree, he saw her, sitting on the ground, facing away from him. Quietly, he sat down beside her. With her elven hearing, she heard his movements, and turned directly to face him. "Who are you?" she said, sniffling. Before Drizzt could answer, she said, "I know who I am, but I don't know what I'm doing in the forest by myself. Mommy doesn't let me in the forest by myself. Especially at night." With all the confidence of the small child, she crawled to Drizzt and sat in his lap. "You have to take me back to Mommy. She will be worried. My name is Inriole. Who are you?" She said this very fast, and very matter-of-factly, and Drizzt was somewhat taken aback.

"My name is Drizzt," he said slowly. "Do you remember why you are in the forest with me?"

"No," she said. "You should take me back now, but you have to carry me, 'cause it's nighttime." She wrapped her arms around Drizzt's neck and smiled. Drizzt smiled too, but was puzzled. He looked around at the bright sunlight that shone even through the thick treetops. He stood up, still holding the elven girl, and began walking back to his camp. "We can't go back to your home now, Inriole."

"Why?" she asked. "Mommy will be worried."

"I know, Inriole," replied Drizzt, "but she would want you to stay here for right now."

"Why do I have to stay here? Why can't I go home?" Inriole began to pout. "I'm scared, it's dark, and you're a stranger. I want to go home!"

Drizzt reached the tree where he had sat watching the unconscious girl earlier. He set her down and sat down beside her, holding her small hands. "I know that you're here without your family. But you have to be brave." Changing the subject, Drizzt asked her, "Why do you keep saying that it is nighttime, Inriole? The sun is shining right above us."

"No, it's not," she said pouting. "If it was, I could see you."

"You can't see me?" Drizzt asked.

"No!" she cried. "It's too dark to see anything!" Ever since the girl had woken up, Drizzt had been wondering why she made no comment on his appearance. After all, she had recently watched her village murdered by elves that looked just like Drizzt. Up until now, Drizzt had put it down to memory loss. Maybe Inriole had simply forgotten the events of the attack on the village due to the shock. Now Drizzt knew the truth. He slowly drew his hands up in front of Inriole. Her eyes still seemed to focus on his face. Suddenly Drizzt jabbed his forefingers directly at the child's eyes. She didn't move, or blink. Drizzt's guess had been right. Inriole was completely blind.

Now that Drizzt understood, he began to wonder. The priestess' spell had blinded the girl, but apparently without any pain. That was why Inriole simply thought it was nighttime. She didn't remark on Drizzt's appearance because she couldn't see him at all. Right then, Drizzt decided not to tell her of the attack. If she truly couldn't remember the traumatic experience she had gone through, he didn't want to bring back the memories by describing a drow elf to her, or telling her of the deaths of her family. Not yet, anyway.

"Inriole?" said Drizzt quietly. "It's not nighttime."

"Yes it is," she said. "It's too dark to see."

"No," Drizzt replied. "The sun is shining down. It's full noon, Inriole."

"Don't lie! It's nighttime! Why are you lying to me?" Inriole cried , her eyes watering.

"Shhh…," said Drizzt, hugging the girl. "Can't you feel the sun Inriole?" In the bright sunlight, Drizzt could see Inriole's face upturned, bathed in the golden light.

"I can feel it," she said. "But why is it so dark out?"

"It isn't dark, Inriole." Drizzt whispered, "You just can't see the light."

"Why not?" cried the elven girl, her eyes filled with tears. "I want to see the light!" Suddenly she gasped. "Am I … blind?" she asked, her voice small.

Drizzt nodded, and then said quietly, "Yes, Inriole. You are blind."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I forgot to say this before, but I don't own Drizzt. R.A. Salvatore does. duh. However, I do own Inriole. So please don't take her.

A/N: Inriole is pronounced like it looks; In-ri-oh-lay.

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"Am I … blind?" she asked, her voice small.

Drizzt nodded, and then said quietly, "Yes, Inriole. You are blind."

"Why?" she cried, vainly twisting her head, trying to see. Drizzt hesitated. He did not want to remind Inriole of the events that had left her blind. He did not want to bring that trauma back into her mind. But, as he watched the girl, still crying and trying to see, he knew he could not keep the truth from her.

"Your village was attacked, Inriole," said Drizzt. "By drow elves." He paused. "Do you about drow, Inriole?" he asked the girl.

"Yes," she said, sniffling. "They're bad. And evil. Mommy says that they will hurt me if they can."

"Your mommy is right, Inriole. Drow elves are mean. They attacked your village. That's why you are blind. A priestess- do you know what a priestess is?" At her nod, Drizzt went on. "A priestess cast a spell at you, Inriole. She made you blind." At this pronouncement, Inriole began to cry again.

"I don't want to be blind! I want to go home. I want my mommy! Take me home." She pleaded with Drizzt, still twisting her head and straining her useless eyes.

"I can't take you home, Inriole. There's nothing left."

"What do you mean, nothing? What about Mommy? Where is she?"

At Inriole's frantic questioning, Drizzt too cried. "I'm so sorry, Inriole. I couldn't save her. It was too late. I'm so sorry." When she heard his words, Inriole's crying fell into mindless sobbing and wailing. She had no words to express her loss, and she didn't need any. Her entire life was gone, and there was nothing left.

Inriole continued to cry for hours, her grief pouring itself out in hoarse sobs, and tears that ran down her cheeks. Drizzt knew he could do nothing to comfort her, and indeed, he didn't try. He knew that the only real way to deal with grief is to feel it, and not to hide it inside, and never let it out.

After a long while, just as it was beginning to grow dark, Inriole's sobs began to lessen, although tears still fell. She cuddled closer to Drizzt, and he held her as she fell asleep. Curing the long night, Drizzt wondered what he should do with Inriole. He still didn't feel as if she truly remembered the attack, only what he has told her about it. He didn't know where to find help for this girl. Drizzt decided eventually that he would make his way to the nearest town, and seek help for Inriole, and also somewhere for her to stay.

Inriole stirred in her sleep, waking Drizzt from the light doze he had fallen into. Recalling his decision of the previous night, Drizzt carefully put out his fire, and wrapped the elven girl in his cloak. Careful not to wake her, he lifted her in is arms and began walking toward a human town that he knew was within a few days. Soon after Drizzt began the journey, Inriole woke. Drizzt noticed, and began to talk to her.

"Good morning, Inriole. How are you feeling?" Drizzt didn't want to immediately remind her of the previous traumatic events, but she remembered soon enough. "I'm alright," she said quietly. Drizzt could tell she was trying not to cry again. "It's OK to cry, Inriole. You've suffered a great deal. It's OK." Inriole reached up to her face and sniffled then wiped her eyes. "Is mommy really gone?"

"Yes, Inriole. She's gone. I'm sorry." Although Drizzt had expected another outbreak of grief, he didn't get it. Instead, Inriole just opened her eyes and turned her head around.

"I still can't see. I want to be able to see the forest. I want to be able to see you. I don't know you." With that, Inriole turned her sightless eyes to Drizzt's face, and then followed that blind gaze with her hand. Small fingers traced the contours of Drizzt's face as he walked. "Oh, Inriole. You don't really want to see me. I'm nothing much to look at." Privately, Drizzt was almost glad that Inriole couldn't see him. She was the first person he had met since Mooshie died that hadn't feared him for his race.

Now Inriole's fingers were brushing through Drizzt's hair. "What is your name, though?" she asked.

"My name is Drizzt, Inriole. I told you last night, but it's alright if you forgot."

"Drizzt," she laughed. "That's a funny name! Drizzzzzzzzzzzt. Hee hee. Drizzit." She stopped suddenly, as Drizzt's grip on her tightened, and relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Inriole," he said, realizing what he had done, and sighing. "I just don't like the name Drizzit. Please don't call me that."

"Why?" Inriole asked.

"Maybe I'll tell you someday, Inriole. But for now, please don't call me that."

"OK." Drizzt enjoyed a few moments of silence, walking through the morning woods with the girl in his arms. Then…

"Are you an elf too?" Inriole asked. Drizzt nodded, then was about to speak when he realized that Inriole could feel the movement of his head. Then she felt his ears.

"You are an elf! I knew it. Your ears aren't funny, like a human's. Their ears are round, not pointy like ours," she half-whispered, as if imparting a great secret. She giggled. "Human's have such funny ears. I don't know too many of them, except Orwen, the healer. She comes to our village sometimes to visit Mommy." Inriole was quiet for a few moments, and then she spoke again. "Drizzt?"

"Yes, Inriole?"

"Will I ever see my mommy again?"

"Yes, Inriole. You will see your mother again. When, I don't know, but she is waiting for you. Somewhere."

"Oh," said the elven girl, laying her head down on the dark elf's shoulder. "That's good." They were quiet the rest of the morning as Drizzt continued toward the human town, both silently contemplating their own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Drizzt walked in silence through the sunlit forest with Inriole in his arms. He kept his eyes to the ground, to shield them from the bright sun, and trusted in his ears to warn him of any danger. Suddenly, he heard a low rumbling sound. A rockslide, an earthquake? What was it? Just as suddenly, it stopped. Drizzt stopped walking, then heard the sound again, this time accompanied by Inriole's giggle. "I'm hungry, Drizzt! My tummy is growling." Sighing, Drizzt smiled.

"And here I was thinking we were about to be attacked by vicious monsters!" On the last word, he swung Inriole to the ground and began tickling her. She shrieked and squirmed. Drizzt, who was also laughing, grabbed her. "Let's go get something to eat then, Inriole. Sit down over here." He guided her over to a tree, and sat her down. Then he rummaged through his pack. Pulling out a few strips of dried meat, the handed them to her, and she began gnawing on them. "We'll have a proper meal tonight, Inriole, and then tomorrow we'll be in the human town." He sat down next to the girl. "Tell me about the healer you know. Orwen, right?"

"Yes," she said, her mouth full. "Orwen lives in the town with the other humans. She's good at fixing people. One time, my friend twisted her ankle, and Orwen just put a bandage on it, and she could run the next morning. I think Orwen can do magic."

"Maybe she can, Inriole. Maybe she can." Silently, Drizzt thought about the healer. Maybe she could make Inriole see again. Drizzt couldn't imagine having his sight just taken away. All the things he wouldn't be able to enjoy anymore. Then Drizzt realized. If and when Inriole regained her sight, she would recognize him as drow. What would she do, or feel, when she knew that the one who had rescued her was akin to those who had tried to kill her? Of course Drizzt wanted Inriole to be able to see, of course he did. But he was afraid of losing his new friend, even if she was only seven years old. Pushing his thoughts away, Drizzt stood up, and brushed the dirt from his clothes. "Are you still hungry, Inriole?" he asked.

"No," she said. "But I will be later!"

She climbed to her feet and Drizzt took her hand. "Do you want to walk, Inriole, or should I carry you again?"

"I'll walk," she said, and Drizzt nodded.

"OK. When you get tired, just tell me." She nodded in reply and they started off, hand in hand.

After walking for over an hour, and after a few close calls involving Inriole almost walking face-first into trees, she asked Drizzt to carry her. He agreed, and hoisted her up to rest on his hip, supporting her with one arm. Carrying her this way, he walked for several more hours, as the sun sank down, and the forest grew dark. When Inriole's head dipped down onto Drizzt's shoulder, he stopped for the night. He carefully lifted Inriole off his hip and set her down gently on the ground. "Inriole, wake up." The girl stirred, then stretched and yawned.

"Is it nighttime, Drizzt? I can't tell."

"Yes, it's nighttime. Are you hungry?" Inriole nodded, and yawned again. "I need to build a fire to cook dinner, but I can't leave you alone, and I can't take you with me."

"What will we do then?" Inriole asked.

"Well," Drizzt replied. "You could meet one of my friends." He smiled.

"Your friend? Is someone else here, Drizzt? Where are they?" She looked around with her sightless eyes.

"She's not here yet, Inriole, but she will be."

Drizzt rummaged through his pack, finally producing a small black statue. He reached out and took Inriole's hand, and put the statue in it. "Do you like cats, Inriole?" She nodded, and ran her small fingers over the statuette, determining what it was. "This is my friend. Her name is Guenhwyvar. Would you like to meet her?"

"But, Drizzt," Inriole protested. "How can I meet a statue?"

"Just say her name, Inriole. You'll see."

"OK," said Inriole, a bit nervously. "Guenhwyvar," she breathed.

Far away on the astral plane, the panther's ears perked up. She was being summoned, but not by Drizzt. The great cat didn't know what had happened to her master, and was prepared to fight if he was in trouble. However, Guenhwyvar could not ignore the power of the summoning, and she disappeared from the astral plane.

Inriole could not see the grey mist forming about the statue, but Drizzt could. He could also see the rapt expression on Inriole's face as she felt the tingle of strong magic. The next thing Inriole felt was the bump of the cat's muzzle on her cheek, and the sandpaper rough tongue that followed. She squealed in delight as Drizzt laughed aloud at the picture before him. The small elven girl had thrown her arms around the neck of the giant panther, who calmly curled up around the girl's legs and began to purr. "You alright, Inriole?" Drizzt asked. At her emphatic nod, Drizzt turned to Guenhwyvar. "Will you watch over her for me, Guen? Just until I get back?" The panther's purr increased to a friendly growl. Drizzt laughed again then turned and set off to find wood for a fire.

Drizzt strolled through the night forest, his dark-attuned eyes allowing him to see everything as clear as day. Drizzt gathered fallen branches, and once his arms were full, returned to the camp. After dropping off the firewood, starting the fire, and checking on Inriole, who was happily petting Guenhwyvar, he set off again. This time he did not return until he had found some wild carrots that he could cook with some more of the dried meat to make a stew. When the stew was cooked, Inriole and Drizzt sat near the fire and ate it right out of the pot it had cooked in. Inriole prattered on about Guenhwyvar, and how she wished she could keep the panther, or at least have a panther of her own. Drizzt had his own suggestion. "Maybe you could start with a little kitten, Inriole. Then you could work your way up to a big cat, like Guenhwyvar." Inriole agreed to start small, and began to doze off.

Drizzt wrapped her in his cloak, and told her not to worry. "We'll reach the human town tomorrow, and we'll go see the healer Orwen. She will be able to help you see, Inriole. You just wait." Drizzt carefully tucked her in, and sat, letting the warmth of the fire wash over him, watching the elven girl. When her breathing slowed and she was asleep, Drizzt too laid down. "Will you keep watch Guen?" The panther nosed his cheek in reply, and he scratched her ears. "How do you like our new friend, Guen?" As the panther purred, Drizzt continued. "Yeah. I like her too." The dark elf put his head down, and closed his eyes. "Good night, Guenhwyvar." The panther yawned, and then leapt into the branches of an overhanging tree. She stayed there all night, watching over her master and his new companion.


	5. Chapter 5

Drizzt was woken in the early morning, just as the sun was rising, by a frantic Guenhwyvar. She prodded the sleeping drow with her paw, and he sat up and rubbed his face. Apparently in Guenhwyvar's eyes he was too slow, because the next thing she did was to roar so loudly that Drizzt was immediately awake, and covering his ears. "What is it, Guen? What's wrong?" Guen rushed over to where Inriole had slept, and Drizzt followed her. Inriole was curled up in a tight ball, shaking and crying. Drizzt knelt beside her, and gathered her in his arms. "Shh…It's OK, Inriole. Wake up." He gave her a gentle shake, and she awoke, every muscle in her body tensed. Her eyes were opened wide, but still unseeing. Then she melted back into Drizzt's arms. Sobs shook her as she gasped for breath.

"I remember, Drizzt, I remember everything!"

"What do you remember, Inriole?"

"I remember what happened. They were so scary, Drizzt! I was so scared."

"Tell me what you remember, Inriole," said Drizzt, hugging her.

"We were eating dinner. Me and Mommy. Then people outside started screaming. Mommy told me to stay, and she went outside. I looked through the window. There were other elves out there. They looked all wrong. Their skin was so black, and their hair was so white. I saw them kill my mommy. I went to help her. They were killing everybody, Drizzt. They tried to kill me."

Drizzt held the little girl tight in his arms and whispered to her. "You're safe now, Inriole. You're safe, and I won't let anyone hurt you." As he held her, he felt Inriole's tiny body suddenly stiffen.

"I hate them!" she screamed. "I hate those drow! I hate them all! I'll kill them!"

"Inriole!" Drizzt's voice was sharp. "Stop it. Hate will not do anything for you. Yes, those drow were evil, and they would have killed you. But it's over, and you're still alive, and you're safe. The only way those dark elves can hurt you now is if you hurt yourself, hating them. Do you understand me?" Inriole nodded slowly, and slowly relaxed. "Are you alright now?" Drizzt asked her.

"Yes," she whispered, and then burst into tears once more. But these were not tears of pain, or sorrow, or hate. They were tears that cleansed, and they would allow Inriole to move past this incident in her life, thought Drizzt knew that she would never forget it.

When Inriole's tears ceased, Drizzt helped her stand up, and led her over to Guenhwyvar, who had been waiting patiently. "Here's Guen, Inriole. Here's my pack," he said, putting it down by her feet. "There's some nuts in there, if you're hungry. When you're ready, we'll go to the town. We're about two hours away. I'll be back soon." Drizzt walked away, taking care to crunch dry leaves noisily under his boots, and being as loud as possible. When he was about fifty yards away, he climbed a tree, and made his way back to Inriole and Guenhwyvar, silently leaping from branch to branch. When he reached the oak directly above their camp, he lay down on a thick limb, and simply watched the elven girl and the panther. He knew that Guenhwyvar could tell he was there, but she gave no sign away to Inriole. The girl still stood next to the black cat, one hand perched on Guenhwyvar's shoulder. Then suddenly she sighed, and slumped into a sitting position. Guenhwyvar plopped down beside her.  
As Drizzt watched from above, Inriole began to absent-mindedly stroke Guenhwyvar's shoulder. She continued petting the cat for ten minutes, bringing a deep-throated purr from Guenhwyvar. While watching the two below, Drizzt's eyes began to drift shut, but he was immediately woken when Inriole spoke. "I miss my mommy, Guen. I wish that she wasn't dead. But then I wouldn't have met Drizzt. I'm so glad he found me. He's nice. And I wouldn't have met you, Guen! I like you too." Inriole began to scratch Guen behind her ears, and the panther shook her head, then rolled over, with her giant paws in the air. Inriole continued. "I wonder how Drizzt found me?" Her voice was almost a whisper as she spoke to herself. She mused for a moment and then said, "He must have been coming to visit, and just got there too late."

Above her, Drizzt didn't know what to do. He didn't want to tell Inriole that he had fought the drow, because he knew it would seem to her that her own village's warriors weren't good enough to fight, but he was. He also didn't want Inriole to think he was a coward. After a few moments of pondering, he decided to leave well enough alone, and began to move away from the camp through the trees. When he was far enough away, he climbed down, and walked back to Inriole.

At his approach, Guenhwyvar shifted and perked up her ears. Inriole noticed the panther's movement and craned her neck around. "Hi Drizzt," she said. Drizzt noted that she had pinpointed his position from the crunching of leaves beneath his feet, and he stood still. "Drizzt?" asked Inriole. "Where are you?" Drizzt silently sprinted behind the girl and grabbed her.

"I'm right here, silly!" he said, sweeping her up to his shoulders. She shrieked and grabbed on to his hands. Drizzt started walking in the direction of the village, loosening Inriole's grip only enough to grab his pack from the ground. "We should be in town in a few hours. Tell me when you get tired."

Inriole nodded, then clapped her heels on Drizzt's sides, and shouted, "Giddyap horsy! Run, Drizzt!" The dark elf complied and began racing through the trees.

"Come on, Guen!" he shouted. The panther gleefully chased after them, and they charged through the woods.

After nearly twenty minutes of running, Drizzt slowed to a walk. Inriole was still breathless from the excitement, and even Guenhwyvar was panting slightly. Drizzt glanced at the panther, and then stopped walking, both to catch his breath and to rummage through his pack. When he found Guen's statue, he handed it to Inriole, who still perched on his shoulders. "What do I need the statue for, Drizzt? Guen's still here," Inriole asked, recognizing the statuette.

"Guen needs to go home sometimes, Inriole. She lives in the Astral Plane, not this one. After she rests for a while, we can bring her back."

"OK, Drizzt," Inriole agreed. "How does she go home?"

Drizzt smiled and glanced up at the blinded girl. "You just said the magic words. Just tell Guen to go home, and she will. But wait!" he said, and lifted the girl from his shoulders. When she was standing on the ground, he took her free hand and placed it on Guen's head. "Tell her to go home."

"Go home, Guen," said the elven girl. Guenhwyvar began to dissolve into mist, and Inriole's eyes grew wide as she felt the panther dematerialize beneath her fingers. "Is she gone, Drizzt?"

"Yep," said Drizzt, and he swung Inriole to his hip. "We'll be in town in about an hour, thanks to our run. Then we'll go see your friend Orwen. Alright with you?"

"It's fine with me," said Inriole, sounding very mature. She continued, "Just as long as you don't leave me Drizzt."

"Don't worry, Inriole. I won't," Drizzt said, and the drow elf set off through the forest, carrying the elven girl by his side.


	6. Chapter 6

Over the next hour, Drizzt and Inriole talked together, about anything that crossed their minds. Drizzt had to stop himself several times before accidentally revealing to Inriole that he was drow. He didn't want to ruin his friendship with the little girl. Still he wondered what would happen when they reached the town. He couldn't just let Inriole go in by herself, she was too young. He had to go with her to see the healer, Orwen. Eventually, he decided to just go into the town as peaceably as he could, and go from there. Within the hour, Drizzt and Inriole arrived at the human town.

Drizzt could see the high walls that surrounded the small city. Guards patrolled the top, and the main gate was guarded by two men. Drizzt shifted Inriole further up on his hip and came out of the trees. He began to walk down the rutted dirt road that lead to the gate. At first the guards seemed totally taken aback, then they gathered themselves. Shouts of "Drow, drow!" rang out as the guards on top of the wall also noticed Drizzt. The dark elf slowly continued forward, as the town guards ran about. Inriole tightened her grip around Drizzt's neck.

"What do they mean, Drizzt?" Her face was scared. "Drow? Are there more drow around to hurt us?" Drizzt shushed her, and came to a halt. His ears had caught the click of a crossbow being readied. Immediately he raised his hands above his head, then slowly lowered them, and lifted Inriole from his hip. She was frightened and whimpering. "Are there drow, Drizzt? What's wrong?"

"Shh, Inriole. Everything will be fine." He set the little girl down at the side of the road, and raised his hands again. At his movement, he heard more weapons being drawn. He strove to speak calmly. "I wish no one in your town harm. All I ask is that you aid this child. Her village-." Drizzt stopped speaking. Now, even squinting into the sun, he could see the many arrows aimed at him. Drizzt started to speak again. "Her village was attacked. You have to help her-."

Drizzt's words were cut off by a shout from the town. "We know of the attack! Drow, was it?"

Drizzt hung his head. "Yes. It was drow. But I took no part-." Drizzt's words ended as a crossbow bolt embedded itself in his shoulder. He groaned in pain, and slumped to the ground, bringing one hand up to his shoulder to feel the arrow. Inriole screamed.

"Drizzt!" She blindly began to walk, her arms outstretched, trying to find him. Drizzt heard the creak of the gates opening and the rush of feet as the guards came out. Even through the haze of pain, he saw as the men slowly began to move forward. The wounded elf shifted his head, and saw Inriole stumble and fall, just a few feet away. He slowly reached out and grabbed her hand. She was sobbing in fear and confusion, and when she felt his touch, she crawled to him. "What happened, Drizzt? Did the drow shoot you?" She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

Drizzt grunted through the pain. "No. The drow didn't shoot me." He squeezed her hand. "The men did."

"Why, Drizzt? Why would they do that?"

Drizzt sighed, and closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see her face as he continued. "Because I am drow, Inriole."

"No!" she screamed. "No you're not!" She crawled backwards, away from Drizzt, but still clung to his hand.

"He is, little girl!" one of the men shouted. "Ye can see for yerself. His skin is black as night."

Inriole screamed again. "No!" She began to cry once more.

"Can't ye see him girl?" the man asked.

Drizzt squinted up from his position on the ground. "No," he croaked. "she's blind, she can't see. I just wanted to protect her." He was silenced by the kick of a boot in his stomach.

"Yeah right, drow. You'd protect right her into her grave!" The man gestured to one of his companions, who picked up the still-crying Inriole. The first man kicked Drizzt in the stomach again, and the pain made the dark elf's mind flicker in and out of consciousness. The last thing he saw before passing out completely was two of the guards grabbing his legs, and beginning to drag him into the town. The last thing he heard was the heartbreaking wail of Inriole.


	7. Chapter 7

Drizzt woke in darkness. He opened his eyes and using his infrared vision, scanned the room. He was in a small cell. He lay crumpled up in one corner. The door was opposite him. Drizzt tried to sit up, but fell back from the pain both in his left shoulder and his abdomen where he had been kicked. Drizzt groaned at the throbbing pain coming from his shoulder. With shaking fingers, he reached up and felt the crossbow bolt still sticking out. For a moment he considered pulling it out, but then decided against it. Removing the arrow would only tear the flesh more, and cause more blood to flow. Drizzt's mind whirled, trying to remember the sequence of events that had landed him in this predicament. Suddenly it clicked. Inriole. He had brought the girl to the human town, and he had been shot. The men had taken Inriole but not before…Drizzt swore. He had told Inriole that he was drow. She had still held his hand though. Drizzt had to hope that if he ever got out of this cell alive, Inriole wouldn't hate him.

Drizzt didn't know where she had been taken, but he wanted to find out. Grunting as pain flamed through his arm, Drizzt sat up, braced against the wall. "Hey!" he shouted. "Guards!" There was no reply. Drizzt slid his back up against the wall until he stood. "Guards!" he yelled again. This time, he heard the creak of a door. Torchlight entered his cell, and with it came an old woman, who carried a large basket over one arm. She glanced over her shoulder as she came in, then clicked her tongue.

"Come along, ducky," she said. "Bring the torch in here for an old woman to see." A guard entered behind her, paused long enough to set a torch in a wall bracket and glare angrily at Drizzt before stomping back out.

He pulled the door shut after him, saying, "Knock when you're finished woman, and I'll let you out." The old crone nodded her white-haired head, and walked to the middle of the cell.

"Let's have a look at you, ducky." As Drizzt lifted his head to meet her gaze, the old woman chuckled. "To be sure, this is the first time old Orwen's been asked to doctor up a drow elfie. Oh, yes." At this mention of her name, Drizzt started.

"You're Orwen?" he asked. "The healer?"

The old woman bobbed her head, while setting her basket down on the cold floor. "That be me, elfie. Tell me, how's a dark elf knowin' of me?"

"Inriole," Drizzt gasped, his strength fading from the effort it took to remain standing. "The elf child. She said you knew her mother."

Orwen nodded again. "Oh yes. I'm knowin' all the elves in their forest." She reached out, and as Drizzt's feet began to slip on the dank and mouldy floor, she grabbed his right arm and guided him to the ground. Orwen knelt next to him and touched his wounded shoulder. Drizzt hissed in pain and flinched away. "Don't worry, ducky, Orwen will fix you up." Saying this , Orwen put one hand on the bolt of the crossbow and with the other pulled Drizzt's shoulder forward from the wall. "It's got to come out, ducky. But we can't pull it. No, we can't. Nasty barbs would tear you apart. But it's got to come out. Don't you worry."

Having made her speech, Orwen steadied her grip on the arrow's shaft and began to push. Drizzt couldn't help but scream at the pain. His entire arm felt like it was on fire. By the time the bolt was halfway out, the dark elf had blacked out from the pain. Orwen continued to extract the bolt, and muttering to herself all the while began to staunch the bleeding.

As Drizzt opened his eyes the excruciating pain in his shoulder rushed back into his consciousness. He groaned, and tried to look around. The first thing his eyes fell on were the blood-stained hands of the healer. "Glad you woke up, ducky. I was afeared that ye might not." As she half-turned away from the prone drow, she muttered, "The magistrate would not be happy with me then, no he would not." She chuckled to herself.

"The magistrate?" Drizzt asked.

"Oh yes, ducky. Magistrate Bracken's the one who's makin' me heal you. He wants you nice and healthy for the hanging."

"Hanging?" Drizzt gasped. "For what crime?"

"For murder, and kidnapping, and the crimes of your race, drow," the old woman replied looking surprised that Drizzt cared.

Drizzt protested, "But I have done nothing! Do I not get a trial?"

"That's over and done with, drow. Right after you were brought in."

Drizzt was speechless at the injustice of his situation. Orwen however, continued on. "Funny," she said, glancing down at her bloody hands. "I always thought drow would bleed black, or something." She laughed quietly and turned to leave.

"Wait," Drizzt rasped, his voice almost gone. "What of the elven girl? Is she alright?"

"Why, of course, ducky. She's with me! Poor little thing, all alone with a crazy dark elf." She suddenly turned and spat at Drizzt. "You think that blinding her is funny, do you ducky? She'll be like that forever. There's no cure." She spat again, but this time into the other corner. As she shuffled toward the cell door, Drizzt heard her say, "Imagine, ducky. Eight hundred years, and never seeing the light again." Orwen raised he gnarled hand, and rapped on the heavy wooden door.

As the guard outside turned the key in the lock, Drizzt said, "Please. Please Orwen. I need to see her. I need to speak with Inriole." Though the guard held the door open for her, the healer did not go through it. She paused. "Please, Orwen," Drizzt repeated. "I need to see her."

The old woman began to nod her head slowly. "Alright. You'll be seeing her later. But she'll not be seeing you. Remember that, drow." Orwen began to shuffle through the door. "Remember what you've done to her."

As the door clanked shut, robbing the room of all traces of light, for Orwen had taken the torch with her, Drizzt spoke softly to himself.

"Don't worry. I'll never forget what I've done to her."


	8. Chapter 8

Drizzt sat in the darkness, cold, wounded and alone, for countless hours. His mind raced with thoughts and fears and worries. He thought and remembered all that had occurred, all that he had done, that had brought him to this point. He had saved Inriole's life by taking her from the village. He had only tried to help her, but in the end, he had betrayed her most of all. Everything he had ever said to her had, in essence, been a lie. By letting her believe that he was a light elf, Drizzt had broken the trust that she had put in him. He knew he would be lucky if she could ever fully trust anyone ever again.

Drizzt feared what would befall him. However, no matter how chilling the realization of imminent death was, Drizzt feared more for Inriole. She had done nothing wrong, ever in her life. She was the victim of unforeseeable circumstances, and Drizzt feared what would become of her. She had more than eight centuries left to live, and she would never regain her sight. She needed to be taken care of, and who could do that?

Even as his mind swirled with these matters, Drizzt remained outwardly calm. Even in his short life so far, he had come to know that death was not the thing to be feared; the thing to be feared was what came before, that is, life. So it was, that Drizzt feared not for himself, but for the life that Inriole would lead, and would still be leading for centuries after all the people of this town were dead and buried.

Hours later, after Drizzt had fallen asleep on the hard unforgiving floor of the cell,, he was woken by the slam of the cell door as it banged against the wall. He blinked his eyes open, and focused on the two guards that had entered. One was holding a small hand axe, which he brandished at the dark elf. "Get up, drow" the man growled, accentuating his request with a kick to Drizzt's leg. As Drizzt slowly got to his feet, he noticed that his wounded shoulder was not full of the sharp piercing pain he had felt earlier. Now it only gave off a dull throb. Also, he noticed, the poultice Orwen had bound to his shoulder prevented him from too much movement with his arm. It was this restriction of movement that prevented Drizzt from standing as quickly as the guards would have liked. They grunted, and looked away, instead of lending a hand to get the injured drow to his feet. Even without their help, Drizzt finally stood straight in front of the two men. Although he was more than half a foot shorter that either of them, they found themselves quailing under his penetrating gaze.

The larger of the two, the one without the axe, soon shook off the elf's stare.

"Hands out, drow!" he said gruffly.

When Drizzt complied, wincing at the pain in his shoulder, the man held out a pair of manacles, which he closed over Drizzt's wrists. He gave the chain attached to the manacles a sharp tug.

"Come on, drow. There's someone who wants to see you." Nearly pulling Drizzt off his feet, the man walked out of the cell. His companion waited until Drizzt had left, and then followed close behind.

Drizzt was led by the guards down a long corridor. They passed other cells on the way, but only a few were occupied. At the end of the corridor, on the left hand side was a door. The guard in front of Drizzt noticed that he and the men were not the only people in the room. Sitting at a small table on the other side of the room were Inriole and Orwen. Inriole sat on the old womans lap. He stared at Drizzt, or where she knew he was.

"Inriole!" Drizzt gasped. He started forward immediately, but stopped when the guard yanked him back with the chain attached to his wrists.

"Drizzt?" said Inriole. "Why are you here?"

"I had to see you," the drow elf replied. "I had to know that you were OK." Turning to the guards, Drizzt said, Please, let me go to her."

The guards looked surprised, then the first man said, "Alright, drow, but don't try anything. Or else." The man accentuated his remark by tugging hard on Drizzt's chains, nearly causing the drow to loose his footing.

Drizzt stood up straight and began to walk slowly toward Inriole and Orwen. The healer's eyes watched him distrustfully the en tire way. When Drizzt was within 10 feet of them, the guard holding the chain jerked it. This time Drizzt did fall to the ground. The guards laughed. Drizzt pushed himself up to his knees. He looked at Inriole. She hadn't looked up since he came through the door. "Inriole," he said. Still she kept her face to the floor. "Please look at me." She turned her face to his.

"I can't look at you, Drizzt. Never. Thanks to you." She turned away again.

Drizzt sighed and looked at the floor. "I never meant to hurt you. I fought for you against the drow in your village…" Drizzt stopped speaking when he felt her blind gaze upon him again.

"You mean the other drow," she said accusingly.

Drizzt looked up. "Yes. The other drow. But I'm not like them. I'm not evil. I never meant to hurt you," he repeated.

"You lied to me," said Inriole. "You said you were and elf. Not a drow."

"I never said I wasn't a drow, Inriole. And I am an elf. Pointy ears, remember?"

For a brief moment, Inriole smiled, but then the smile vanished and she was once again solemn. "Why did you lie, Drizzt?"

The dark elf took a deep breath trying to think how to answer her question. "I lied to you because…because you were the first person since Mooshie who didn't run from the sight of my skin. Because I needed a friend, and…and you needed one too."

Inriole nodded. "I'm still mad at you," she said. "But its OK. Thank you." She smiled at him, with all the grace and forgiveness of a child.

When Inriole finished speaking, Drizzt turned to Orwen, who, as he now noticed, was staring at him with a strange expression on her face. She said, "Mooshie? You know the ranger?"

Drizzt nodded. "I knew him. He taught me all I know about the surface."

Orwen said quietly, "Knew?"

Drizzt looked down. "He died. Just a few months ago. Did you know him?"

"Oh, yes. I knew him very well." Orwen paused for a few moments, lost in reflection. Then she looked up and smiled. "I never knew you were _that_ drow, ducky. Hooter told me all about you." As Drizzt grinned at the mention of Montolio's 'seeing-eye owl,' Orwen looked sharply up at the guards, one of whom still standing at the door, and the other behind Drizzt. "Well?" she said, somewhat angrily. "Let him go!"

The guards glanced at each other confusedly. "What do you mean, Mistress Orwen?" one of the men ventured.

"I mean set him free. This drow has done nothing wrong! He knew the ranger Montolio. Set him free, I say!" As she spoke, she took Inriole off her lap and advanced slowly on the guards.

"No, Mistress. We can't do that," said the guard holding the other end of Drizzt's chains. "The drow was sentenced to death by the magistrate. He'll hang tomorrow, for all his evil deeds." The guard yanked Drizzt to his feet.

Orwen's face grew red. "We'll just see about that!" She picked up Inriole and stormed toward the door.

As they left, Drizzt heard Inriole say, "What do they mean, sentenced to death?"


	9. Chapter 9

After Orwen and Inriole left, Drizzt was taken back to his cell by the two guards, and pushed inside. He collapsed on the damp earth near the back wall. In the long hours that followed his return to the cell, barely a coherent thought passed through his mind. He was numb with the realization that nothing he could do would prevent his death the next day. Drizzt didn't fear death, but he was sad and angry that he would die not in battle, at the hands of an enemy, but instead at the hands of an executioner, in front of a jeering crowd. The fact that rankled most was that he hadn't even done anything wrong. This execution would not be for any crime of his own but instead for the evil deeds of his entire race. Drizzt knew that had a human or a light elf rescued Inriole, they would have been hailed as a hero. Drizzt understood well the irony of his situation, and it truly stung his heart to know that there was nothing he could have done to avoid this fate. No matter what, this death would have caught up with him sooner or later. Even though he was resigned to his fate that night, Drizzt did not sleep.

Drizzt was not surprised when the guard slammed open his cell door. For the past hour, Drizzt had lain back and listened to the activities of the guards outside. They had been arguing about which of them would get him from the cell for the past ten minutes. Evidently this man had lost.

Holding the cell door open with one hand, the guard motioned at Drizzt. "Get up, drow!" Drizzt got slowly to his feet, hampered by the heavy manacles. He stood near the back of the cell, waiting for the guard to do something. The man eventually shouted to one of his friends to old the door open. After he had, the guard moved slowly forward, toward Drizzt. He bent over, and keeping his eyes on the drow's the entire time, slowly picked up the end of the chain. Having done so, he led Drizzt out of the cell. Two more guards took up positions behind Drizzt as he was led through the prison complex. Finally they reached a corridor that Drizzt hadn't seen before. The guard led him down it to a door in the wall. He pushed open the door and bright sunlight flooded through. Drizzt inhaled sharply as the light stung his eyes. The guards forced him through the door, and into a busy marketplace. After his first blinding look, Drizzt kept his eyes to the ground, which was why he didn't see the tomato that came hurling through the air at him. It hit him squarely on his head, throwing it sideways. The tomato exploded on impact and covered Drizzt's white hair with ooze and dripping seeds. Drizzt jerked his head up and glared in the direction the missile had come from. His lavender eyes seemed filled with fire. He knew that he was going to his execution, but he had not expected to be so humiliated. As Drizzt stared at the crowd of people that the tomato had come from, laughter broke out. The guards continued to force Drizzt down the street. One by one, more missiles were thrown and more laughter rang out. Drizzt was hit by vegetables, fruit, and even a fish. None of these hurt as much as the indignity of it all. The laughter seemed to burn inside Drizzt, firing his anger and making him long to prove his true self to all the people laughing. However, by the time the guard had towed Drizzt all the way to the town square, his hatred had turned into mere pity for the townspeople, that they could not see the real him, and worse, did not even want to try.

Lifting his head at the end of the onslaught, Drizzt saw the gallows rearing up ahead of him. A crowd was already gathered. The guards led Drizzt to the foot of the platform. Drizzt squinted and searched the crowd. He was hoping that Inriole wasn't there. That Orwen hadn't brought her. She was too young to see…Drizzt laughed. If Inriole were there she wouldn't see anything. Then he spotted her. Orwen and Inriole stood neat the front of the crowd off to the left. They stood silently, although the crowd around them was screaming. "Quiet!" boomed a voice from atop the gallows' platform. Drizzt turned halfway around to see a robed man standing behind him, before the guards jerked him back around. Drizzt figured that the important looking man was the magistrate who had sentenced him. "Quiet!" the man yelled again. The crowd's volume gradually decreased to a murmur. Drizzt could feel the eyes of the crowd on him. The magistrate spoke. "Today, we come together to witness the vengeance that we can finally take on the scum that had murdered and attacked our town forever. The Drow!" The crowd roared. "This drow was caught outside the town proper, after slaughtering our elven neighbors. He will hang for his crimes!" The magistrate gestured to the guards, who forced Drizzt up the steps of the gallows. At the top of the steps, Drizzt tripped and fell to his knees.

Seemingly always ready to improvise his performance, the magistrate reached down and grabbed Drizzt's hair, hauling him to his feet. The man was much taller than the dark elf, and continued to hold Drizzt's head up high. His eyes watering from the sharp pain, Drizzt met the eyes of individuals in the crowd as they screamed and shouted at him.

Here stood a man, apparently a butcher, judging from his blood-stained apron. The man's face was red from yelling, but his eyes, when they met with Drizzt's, showed no hatred. It was as if this man was simply here to support his neighbors, and did not care either way about the fate of the dark elf before him. Only a few yards away stood a woman who was not yelling at all. She simply stood there, her slight frame shaking. Drizzt met her eyes and quickly looked away. This woman's hate was too much for him to take. He had done nothing to her, but she would be glad to see him die here merely because he looked similar to another drow who had hurt her in the past.

It registered with Drizzt that the magistrate was still speaking. "…And now, let the drow face his fate, and may the gods have no mercy on him!" The grip on his hair was released and Drizzt's head slumped to his chest. The guards manhandled the drow backward across the small platform to the center. Looking down, Drizzt could see that he now stood in the center of a trapdoor. Another guard, this one wearing a black hood, placed a thick noose around Drizzt's neck. This was it then. He was going to die now. Drizzt cleared his mind of his fear and anger. The thought of his father, and Mooshie, and Mooshie's goddess, now his goddess, Mielikki. Drizzt thought of Inriole and hoped the best for the little girl. The crowd's roar died down, until ho sound came from anywhere. Drizzt cleared his mind, and prepared for death. Suddenly a voice came from the silence. Drizzt's lavender eyes opened.

Orwen was striding across the square, shouting. "Stop!" she yelled. "You must not kill this drow." Many people in the crowd began to laugh. So did the magistrate.

"Not kill the drow? Why not? Haven't he and his kind slaughtered more of our people than we can count? Haven't they kidnapped and tortured and killed without conscience? Why should we not take our revenge when it comes to us?"

"Because he," Orwen pointed at Drizzt, "hasn't."

"Hasn't?" asked the man, his face red. "Hasn't what?"

"Done any of those things. He's not evil. He's good!" More laughter broke out and washed over Orwen. Drizzt's face flushed. He was embarrassed for Orwen to just stand there and be laughed at, even if she was right.

"A good drow?" said the magistrate. "There's no such thing."

"Yes, there is," Orwen replied. "And he's standing right there, with your noose around his neck. _That_ is the drow that lived with the ranger Montolio, up in the mountains. The drow that stood with the ranger against the orc horde and defeated them! He is no evil drow, and ye would be the evil ones to kill him now."

"There is no such thing as a good drow," the magistrate reiterated, "and this one will die now!" The crowd roared again in response. Orwen seemed to shrink somewhat as the boos of the gathered people fell over her. Just as she turned away, she looked up and caught Drizzt's eye. To his dismay, she winked at him and left.

Orwen's departure left Drizzt puzzled. All Orwen had done was delay is execution for a few minutes. Unless she had another plan, he would still hang. The magistrate raised his hand, high in the air. The crowd roared louder, screaming for Drizzt's death. The hangman's hand was on the lever that would release the trapdoor. Drizzt closed his eyes again, waiting to die.

He heard the dull clunk the handle made as it was pulled and the gasp of the magistrate. Suddenly Drizzt was falling. He felt the tiniest jerk about his neck, and then there was nothing.


	10. Chapter 10

Consciously, Drizzt knew he was dead. He knew that he had been hanged and was now dead. When the hangman had pulled the lever that opened the trapdoor, Drizzt had felt a small jerk around his neck and then nothing. He was no longer falling or choking, and he felt no pain. Maybe his neck had broken so quickly that he had died instantly, Drizzt thought, and he was now in Mielikki's realm. If he was, though, why was it so dark? Then Drizzt realized his eyes were closed, and realized that he could still _feel_ that his eyes were closed. Gingerly, he opened them, and saw… Guenhwyvar.

The cat was sitting on her haunches, grinning at him, if it could be said that cats could grin. Drizzt looked around him in wonder. He saw trees, and a meadow, but they were like nothing he had seen before. They shifted, and didn't seem quite real. They had no colour that he could see, but still he knew that the colour was there. Drizzt looked back to Guenhwyvar in wonderment. "Where are we Guen? Am I dead?" The cat looked at him, and growled. She the rubbed her head against Drizzt's shoulder and began to purr. The dark elf didn't know how to interpret her answer, so he just hugged Guen, and started to scratch behind her ears.

After a while, Guen moved away, and Drizzt stood up. He didn't really know what to think about the place he was in, so he decided to simply explore and enjoy it while he could. Time passed, but Drizzt took almost no notice of it. Eventually, he called the panther over to him and asked her again, "Where am I, Guen?" She growled again, and then used her giant paw to scratch a shape into the ground. Drizzt looked at it: a simple star. He was in a star? That didn't make any sense. Then, suddenly, it clicked.

He was in the Astral Plane! This was where the Guen lived when he hadn't summoned her. But how had she brought him here? "Did Inriole tell you to bring me here?" Drizzt asked the panther. Guenhwyvar purred, and Drizzt nodded. "She saved me," he said to himself. "You both saved me, Guen." He rubbed the big cat's head, and the last piece of the puzzle came to him. "And Orwen!" he exclaimed. "She distracted the magistrate so Inriole could summon you." Drizzt smiled. "Thank you," he said to the air. "Thank you."

Drizzt scratched the panther's ears and smiled to himself. Inriole and Orwen had saved him from his death. He imagined the faces of the townsfolk and the magistrate as a giant black cat came out of nowhere and then disappeared, taking with it their soon-to-be executed prisoner. Drizzt laughed, and lay back on the soft grass. He folded his hands beneath his head and fell asleep, peaceful for the first time in days.

When he opened his eyes again, Drizzt's mind reeled. He recalled his time on the Astral Plane, and at first did not realize that he was no longer there. He now lay in a crude cot in the corner of a small room. He was alone. Slowly Drizzt got to his feet. The clothes he wore were unfamiliar, and new. The only pieces of furniture in the room were the small bed he had lain on and a rough table set in the opposite corner. Drizzt walked to the door of the room and upon opening it, saw that it led directly outside. The sun was low in the sky and its rays shone directly into Drizzt's night eyes. Wincing, he walked outside and raised a hand to shield his eyes. The cottage stood in a clearing that was surrounded by forest on all sides. Figuring that he was now back on his own plane of existence, Drizzt began to look around for Inriole and Orwen.

He found them behind the cottage, Orwen chopping wood and Inriole chatting at her from a tree stump not far away. Drizzt smiled to see the elven girl so happy, and began to walk to her. Orwen looked up as he passed her, but simply nodded silently as she saw his finger pressed to his lips. Inriole babbled on as Drizzt silently walked behind her. Suddenly, the dark elf snatched her off the stump and whirled her into the air. She shrieked and squirmed, and began to giggle as Drizzt set her back down on the stump, facing him. "Drizzt!" she cried, and threw her arms around his neck.

"Hello, Inriole," he replied, hugging her. Drizzt let go, and stared into the girl's eyes. They seemed to stare right back at him, although he knew they saw nothing. "Thank you for rescuing me," Drizzt said.

"You're welcome!" she chirped. "It was all my idea, and Guen and Orwen helped. But it was mostly me!"

Drizzt swung Inriole around in the air again. "Yes, it was mostly you, I bet!" When he completed the circle, Drizzt stood Inriole back on the stump. She stood quietly, smiling up at him. Drizzt took a deep breath, and began to speak. "Inriole, you know who I am, don't you? You know that I am drow. But you still forgave me for lying to you, and you still rescued me. Why?" Drizzt saw tears forming in Inriole's eyes.

"Because… because you're my friend!" Inriole hugged Drizzt again, her small arms tight around his neck. "Because you're my friend, Drizzt, and you saved me."

Drizzt smiled and hugged Inriole back. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for seeing me, Inriole."


	11. Chapter 11

_After Montolio's death, I was afraid that I would never meet anyone else who would understand me and look past my skin to see who I really was. I did meet someone, though. A little elven girl named Inriole._

_Like Montolio, she too was blind. Unlike Mooshie, though, she had no way of knowing me for what I was: a drow, just like those who had slaughtered her family, and who she had been taught to fear all her life. Inriole knew me only by my actions and words, and so she came to know me for who I was inside._

_When the truth of my skin and heritage was revealed to her, she did recoil and push me away, as anyone would. But her pure heart allowed forgiveness to triumph, and for that, I owe her everything. Inriole was the first person to see me for who I am, and although my other friends, Catti-brie, Bruenor, Regis, and Wulfgar, now do so also, I will always remember Inriole as the first._

_The first one to see me with her heart._


End file.
